Fountain inkwell



Jan. 3o, 1940. B, MORRIS A2,188,828

FOUNTAIN INKWELL Filed Sept. 20, `1938 in f5 @www2 a zu? ffijdfjffis @www Patented Jan. 30, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOUNTAIN INKWELL Bert M. MorrisLos Angeles, Calif.

Application September 20, 1938, Serial No.'230,796

1o claims. (01.120-59) My invention relates to that class of fountain inkwell used as a desk set and more particularly to that type which embodies a well-forming re- Y ceptacle in which an inverted bottle of ink is n received to act as a reservoir and supplyink to the well, with a pen normally reposing in a rest communicating with the well.

It is a purpose of my invention to provide a fountain inkwell of the type above described,

i wherein means is provided for maintaining a pre- Y determined level of ink within the wellirrespective of temperature changes and even when the inkwell is jarred or suddenly moved, so that the possibility is eliminated of fiooding the well tov conduct an excess amount of ink to the pen and thereby cause the nib to flood in writing and to contaminate the pen body with ink.

It also is a purpose of my invention to provide a fountain ink weil embodying a receptacle in which the conventional form of ink bottle may be received and replaced with a filled bottle when required;

A further purpose of my invention is the provision of a fountain inkwell which is characterized by its structural simplicity, low cost of manufacture, and yet immune to the corrosive action of ink.

Another purpose of my invention is the provision of a fountain inkwell in which the receptacle includes an inner bowl formed of glass or other non-corrosive material, and lan outer container of a. material, which although subject to the destructiveaction of ink is associated with the-bowl so that at no time does ink come in contact with the container but is retained at all times within the bowl.

Another purpose of my invention is the provision of a fountain inkwell in which the receptacle includes a pen rest for holding the pen nib at a predetermined depth within the well, and characterized by having a, tube, the wall of which is so constructed as to allow insertion and withdrawal of the pen without producing anypumpnib as a result of contacting with the wall of` the tube.

Another purpose of myvinvention is the provision of an ink bottle having an air and ink feeding plug which functions to regulate the inkv discharged from the bottle in a manner to prevent ooding ofthe well in the event of the ink well being jarred or otherwise moved, and also restricting discharge of Yink from the bottle sufflciently to permit inversion of the bottle when placing it within the receptacle without spillin of Vink on the exteriorrof the receptacle.

I will describe only one form of fountain inkwell 5 embodying my invention, including one form of bottle plug, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a view showing in central vertical m section one form of fountain inkwell embodying my invention with a pen in position therein.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the u line '3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectonalview taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. .1.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a detailed perspective view of the bottle plug shown in Fig. 1 onl an enlarged scale.

Referring specifically to the drawing in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the several views, my invention com- 25 prises a receptacle including a container C having a base I5 which is rounded for a portion of its circumference and then tapered to a blunt point, as best illustrated in Fig. 2. The container also includes a tubular casing I6 which rises from 30 the rounded portion of the .base and is adapted to be molded integral therewith. A cover Il of the same material as the casing is removably fitted on the upper end of the latter so as to close the same as Will be understood. 35*

The interior of the container is formed with a continuous shoulder I8 against ywhich abuts the upper edge of a bowl B, adapted to be inserted into the base of the container and permanently secured in centered position therein against the 4" shoulder, by the employment .of a suitable plastic adhesive substance I9 which is also waterproof and ink resisting. As shown in Figfl, the side walls of the bowl are flared outwardly from the bottom to et the shoulder la and to provide 4 a V-shape gap between the confronting sides of the base and bowl. The substance I9 completely fills this gap to seal the bowlfat the shoulder I8 and secure the bowl in fixed position Within the base. This substance is adapted. to be leveled off 50 at the bottom of the container before it sets to provide a fiat surface for a mat 2U preferably formed of sponge rubber to which it is glued to abut a shoulder 2| on the bottom edge of the base I5. This mat is provided for the purpose 55 of elevatingthe container base on the surface n' of a desk or other support to prevent marring quently, is at all times in contact with Lthe ink. The bowl bottom` 22 is formed with aplurality 1 thereof and to prevent slipping 4or skidding of the ink well as a unit, as will be understood. The

substance I9 gives the requisite additional-weight to the receptacle to reduce the possibility of the ink well as a whole being accidently tipped.

The bowl B is constructed of any suitable ink resisting material such as glass, because the bowl constitutes the well of the invention and," conseof ribs or beads 23 extending radially from a common center with their inner ends spacedY one from the other.

extends approximately from the center defined by the beads to the bottomrrof the pointed -end of the bowl. As shown the groove Gis inclined from end to end and formed with a narrowy portion 24 which gradually widens into a broad portion 25. The .portion 24 is defined 'by transversely rounded Vside Walls 24a which merge,into perpendicular wal1s725a. The broad portion 25 Vand the walls 25a coact to form a well W, and

the height of the walls 25a are increasedto pre-v vent overflow of ink therefrom by the provision of raised portions 21 on the bottom of the bowl.

The beads 23 provide means for` supporting an ink bottle 28 `in inverted position Within the casing I6, the casing serving to center the'bottle` so that its neck is centered .with respect to the beads 23. The form of bottle here shown has aV` top shaped to provide an annular bead 29 and a bottom bead k3|). The internal diameter of. the

Ycasing yI6 and the cover I1 are such that the beads 29'and 30 are in contact therewith, thus providing a closed annular chamber 3| between the bottle and the casing and cover. This chamber provides a dead-air space which functions to insulate the bottle to such an extent that the air contained therein above the ink will be irresponsive to sudden temperature changes. In thisl manner above the ink changing in pressure' and thus affecting theV discharge of ink from the bottle, is

reduced to a minimum.

The neck of the bottle 28 is shown 'as having therein aV plug32 preferably formed of\rubber to render it immune to the destructive action of ink. This plug is formed with an air inlet passage 33 and an ink outlet passage 34. At the inner end of the passage 33 and at the outer end of the passage 34,' restricted outlets 33a and 34a, respectively', are provided. The outlets function to regulate the ingress of `air and the egress of lnk in such a manner as to prevent the rapid flow of ink outwardly of the bottle even under sudden temperature changes, or when the ink lwell as a whole is jarred or otherwise suddenly moved. The restricted outlets also so restrict discharge of ink from the bottle that it can be inverted and placed in the casing without ink discharging therefrom and spilling on the outer side of the receptacle( To limit movement of the plug l28 inwardly of the bottle neck, and, also, to fill the. groove between the rounded edge of thebottle neck and the plug'thereby precludlng an air pocket within the groove, the plug is formed at its outer edge with a flange 32a.

With the bottle and plug in position withinY the receptacle, as illustrated in Fig. l, the passages 33 and 34 are positioned between the inner 'ends of the beads 23 and directly over the ad- Between the inner bead ends` the bowl bottom is formed with a groove G which Y the` possibility of the air in the bottleof the ink torcause 'flooding of the wen.

jacentnend of the groove From the passage s Y n 34 ink is discharged into the narrow groove por.-

tion 24 through which it flows into.V the well W. Due to the contour of; the groove filling ofthe f well with ink to the proper level is assured before;

the air passage 33 is cut off by the ink against the admittance of further airl into the bottle.k

This is true during the initial supply of ink to the well and as well as during all subsequent ink supplying operations resultant of dipping a pen into the well. Y l' v v By'reason ofthe contour of the groove G a body of. ink is supplied to the well W having'aY greater surface area than that within the narrow portion 24. The result is that due to the natural cohesion of the ink molecules they ink in therwell.

tends to .draw into the well the ink contained in the groove `portion 24. This drawing action is sufficient to overcome the tendency of the ink to adhere to the exterior surfaces ofthe bottle z neck and plug, and thus the proper iiow ofink' to fill and refill the well is assured. f

The aforedescribed functions of the Vplug outlets and the grooveG of the bowl 4all contribute to the common end of maintaining in the well 25 la' constant level of ink and one which neverv rises above the bottom ofthe plug 32, or overflows from the well, or supplies an excessl amount ofv ink to the nibV of the pen reposing in a `pen rest,Y

which latter will now be described. Y

The tapered end of the 'containerC isconstructed to provide a penrest R disposed at an acute angle to the casing-i6 and; leading into the bowl B, so that Vthe nib N of a pen'P inserted thereinto will repose within the ink contained in the well 2li.V This pen yrest R is in the formA of a tube cast integral with the container and shaped interiorly to form an'annulai` shoulder 35V against which seats the enlarged portion 36 of:

the pen.

. The base of the pen Vrest tube is, as best'shorvvt` in Fig. 5, formed with an annular series oflongi-1 Y tudinal extending ribs 31 each of, whichV has a roundedy edge, while theintervening groove 38 between any two adjacent ribs is. U-shape in cross section. This construction provides the following advantages. It provides vents for air to b admitted to the bowl and thence to the bottle, and permits insertion and withdrawal of the "pen without producing any pumping action Also, because of the rounded edges of the ribs the nib as withdrawn or inserted'into the penrest will Y' f be guided into any one of the grooves between the ribs, and in this manner inkis prevented from accumulating on the exposed edges of the` ribs to be deposited on the pen body and thus Y j soil the lingers of the Writer. VAlthough VI have' herein shown only one'form of fountain inkwell embodying my kand described u i invention, it is to bcl understood that various changes and modifications may be made herein Without departing fromrthe spirit of my invention and the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim: v l f 1. AV fountain inkwell, comprising; a bottle receptacle having a container and bowl within thef container, the container comprising a hollow base having a circular portion'with an integral casing rising therefrom and a tapered portion extending radially from the circularpo'rtion, said portions having a continuous shoulder interiorlyY thereof, said bowl of the same general shape as said base and formed of an ink resisting material with its upper edge of the samepcontour as ing into the well, a pen rest in the container communicating with the Well, and means for securing the bowl within the container with its upper edge abutting said shoulder.

2. A fountain inkwell, comprising a container having a casing in which an inverted bottle of ink is adapted vto be received, and a pen rest disposed to one side of said casing; a bowl within the containerV having beads uponwhich the neck of a bottle within the casing is adapted toi be supported, said bowl being formed with a well directly beneath the pen rest, and having an inclined groove in its bottom extendingvfrorn between said beads to said well, and widening as it approaches the well.

3'. A fountain inkwell, comprising; a container formed of a composition material, having a casing in which an inverted bottleof ink is adapted to 'be received, a cover for closing the casing at the vtop thereof, and a pen rest at one side of the casing having grooves therein for admitting air to the container. even when a. pen is reposing in the pen rest; a bowl Vwithin the container and sealing the jointbetween the bowl and container; said bowl having a well therein ldirectly beneath the pen rest. means in the bottom of the bowl for supporting an inverted bottle in elevated position within the bowl, and a an inverted bottle of ink is adapted to be received, and a pen rest in the base at one sidel of the casing; a glass bowl within the base having side walls which diverge from the bottom upwardly; a body ofplastic materi ly between the ybowl and said base for securin the bowl within the base and giving'such weight to the base as to` preclude tipping of the inkwell; said bowl having a well therein directly beneath the pen rest, means in the bowl bottom Vfor sup-l porting a bottle within the casing lin elevated position with respect to the bottom of the bowl. and an inclined groove in the bowl bottom extending trom said means to the well.

6. A fountain inkwell, comprising; a container having a casing in which an inverted bottle of ink is adapted to be receivedyand a pen rest disposed to one said of said casing; a bowl within the container having beads upon which the neck of a bottle within the casing is adapted to be supported, said bowl being former with a well disposed to one side of said beads and directly beneath the pen rest, and having a groove in its bottom extending from between said beads to said well for conducting ink from the bottle rto the well, wherein the beads Vextend radially from a common center and are spaced from the center, and said groove extends from said center to said well.

7. A fountain inkwell as embodied in claim 5, wherein a mat of sponge rubber is secured within the base beneath said body to cover the latter and project from the base to form a non-skidding support for the container.

8. As an article of manufacture, a plug for ink bottles comprising av body adapted to fit within the neck of a bottle and formed with an air passage and an ink passage, the outlet ends of which said passages being constricted Ato restrict the iiow of air and ink therethrough, and an annular flange on the outer edge of the plug adapted to viill the groove between the plug and the edge of the bottle when the plug is within the neck.

' 9. In a fountain inkwell, a tubular casing reduced in diameter between its ends to define a relatively large b owl containing portion and an ink bottle-containing portion formed integral with the bowl containing portion, the reduction of said casing dening a. continuous shoulder around the interior of the casing, a bowl in said bowl containing portion and provided with side walls the upper edges of which abutnsaid shoul said casing, said bowl having a well formed in the bottom to one side of the center thereof directly under said `pen rest, and also provided in said bottom with a groove inclined from a point which is directly beneath said bottle, to said well and widening as it approaches said well.

BERT M. MORRIS.' 

